قُلْ إِنِّىٓ أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَّهُ ٱلدِّينَ 11
Translations
Say, [O Muḥammad], "Indeed, I have been commanded to worship Allāh, [being] sincere to Him in religion.
Transliteration
Qul inni umirtu an a'buda Allaha mukhlisan lahu al-din
Tafsir (Explanation)
In this ayah, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is commanded to declare that he has been specifically ordered to worship Allah with sincere devotion, dedicating his entire religion exclusively to Him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this declaration of pure monotheism (tawhid) and sincere worship (ikhlas) is the core message of Islam, rejecting all forms of polytheism and worship of false gods. The emphasis on 'mukhlisan lahu al-din' (making the religion sincerely for Him) underscores that true worship must be free from shirk (associating partners with Allah) and worldly motivations.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Az-Zumar, a Meccan chapter that addresses the fundamental principles of Islamic monotheism and the certainty of the Day of Judgment. It represents Allah's directive to the Prophet to openly proclaim the core message of his mission: the establishment of pure worship of Allah alone, which directly confronted the polytheistic practices of pre-Islamic Arabia.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Muslim narrated by Abu Hurairah: 'The best speech is the speech of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad.' This relates to the ayah as it emphasizes following the Prophet's clear commandment of pure monotheism. Additionally, the hadith 'Actions are by intentions' (Sahih Bukhari) echoes the concept of ikhlas (sincerity) central to this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that sincere devotion to Allah must be the foundation of all acts of worship, free from showing off, worldly gain, or any form of associating partners with Allah. For modern Muslims, it serves as a reminder to examine their intentions and ensure their religious practices are performed purely for the pleasure of Allah alone, not for social recognition or personal ambition.
Related Ayahs
۞ وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا ۚ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا۟ ٱلْمِكْيَالَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ ۚ إِنِّىٓ أَرَىٰكُم بِخَيْرٍ وَإِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُّحِيطٍ
And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. And do not decrease from the measure and the scale. Indeed, I see you in prosperity, but indeed, I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing Day.
ذَٰلِكَ مِمَّآ أَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ مِنَ ٱلْحِكْمَةِ ۗ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ فَتُلْقَىٰ فِى جَهَنَّمَ مَلُومًا مَّدْحُورًا
That is from what your Lord has revealed to you, [O Muḥammad], of wisdom. And, [O mankind], do not make [as equal] with Allāh another deity, lest you be thrown into Hell, blamed and banished.
وَٱتَّبَعْتُ مِلَّةَ ءَابَآءِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ ۚ مَا كَانَ لَنَآ أَن نُّشْرِكَ بِٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ
And I have followed the religion of my fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And it was not for us to associate anything with Allāh. That is from the favor of Allāh upon us and upon the people, but most of the people are not grateful.
إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ كَانَ أُمَّةً قَانِتًا لِّلَّهِ حَنِيفًا وَلَمْ يَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Indeed, Abraham was a [comprehensive] leader, devoutly obedient to Allāh, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allāh.